At the heart of what we do

Conservation

We’re committed to conserving water, wildlife and wild places.

With education, research and community engagement, the South Carolina Aquarium focuses on fostering positive change for the natural world surrounding us through our conservation efforts.

We’re saving sea turtles.

All seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered. Habitat loss, marine pollution and human impacts are just some of the causes of illness or injury in the sea turtles we treat. Working with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), our Sea Turtle Care Center™ helps rescue, rehabilitate and release sea turtles back to the wild.

We’re empowering citizen scientists.

Citizen science allows people of all ages and abilities to collaborate with professional researchers to make a difference. Citizens can help researchers collect and analyze data, while also learning more about the scientific process and getting involved in their communities. Our citizen science projects address important environmental issues like plastic pollution, sea level rise and invasive species.

We’re choosing locally sourced seafood.

Consuming responsibly harvested seafood means you’re taking into account the long-term viability of the species and the ocean’s ecological balance as a whole. That’s why our Good Catch program supports local restaurants, purveyors, caterers and collaborators who source their seafood from southeast regional fisheries, which adhere to some of the strongest regulations worldwide – a critical factor in maintaining a balanced ocean.

We’re reducing plastic pollution.

By 2050, the ocean is projected to contain more plastic than fish. Sea turtles, sea birds, marine mammals and fish can mistake it for food or become entangled in it by accident. As it breaks down and becomes microplastic, it enters our food chain and can harm us. With plastic pollution quickly inundating our beloved habitats and animals, we want to reduce and eliminate as much single-use plastic as we can and find solutions to this growing issue.

We’re participating in research and fieldwork.

Aquarium staff give their skills and expertise to protect our states’ animals and environments. We work alongside numerous agencies and organizations to assist with critical conservation projects in the field, working to ensure a healthy future for South Carolina’s water, wildlife and wild places.

We’re starting conversations about resilience.

The sea level is rising as a result of climate change, and it will have a significant effect on everybody who lives in coastal South Carolina. We have both an obligation and an opportunity to address sea level rise. By leading conversations and creating tools that are accessible to everyone, we provide people with the information they need to protect themselves, their communities and the natural world.